Scituate runner hosts fundraiser run/walk for Dana-Farber

Ruth Thompson rthompson@wickedlocal.com @scituateruth

Sunday

Oct 7, 2018 at 4:00 PM

Sharon Tassini has been raising funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the past 10 years. An avid runner, she has run the Boston Marathon on the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Fundraising Team.

She is spearheading Race to Stop Cancer Now, a 5-mile/2-mile run/walk on Saturday, Oct. 13 to benefit Dana-Farber.

“As a runner, hosting this run for the charity that I feel so passionate about is a goal I've had for a long time,” Tassini said. “This is something that I've wanted to do for many years during my fundraising.”

Everyone is welcome to participate in the event, which takes place in Scituate – beginning and ending at Peggotty Beach.

There are two distances, 5 miles and 2 miles. The 2-mile distance is a run or walk. The 5-mile distance is a run, but participants may also walk.

“Both routes travel along Second Cliff down to Edward Foster Road,” Tassini said. “Then the 2-mile participants turn around at the Parish Center and the 5-mile route continues down the Driftway to Gilson Road then down by Scituate Country Club and back onto the Driftway and back to Peggotty Beach.”

The route was chosen so participants could enjoy the beauty of the Scituate coast.

“A coastal race is more enjoyable than a race that is inland,” Tassini said. “The route was also chosen to stay east of the Driftway without the need to cross this major road.”

Tassini chose this form of fundraising as there are not many road races held in Scituate, and few in the area that are not a 5K (3.1 miles). Many of her teammates on the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Fundraising Team raise funds by holding restaurant parties, spin classes, yoga classes, painting parties, and live music. Some also do road races in their home towns.

“I knew I could not do this all by myself, therefore I partnered with South Shore Race Management to handle all the logistics and my job is to get sponsors, lots of runners, water at the end of the race and pray for a nice day,” Tassini said. “SSRM does over 50 races a year for charitable organizations therefore I had no reason to not give it a try. I hope and pray that I get enough runners and great weather to make it a success.”

Fundraising for Dana-Farber is nothing new for Tassini.

“I've made jewelry, sold drawstring bags and last year together with my neighbor, Austin Ryan, we sold Hilliard's chocolate bars,” she said. “I’ve also done a lot of begging.”

She has also had very generous supporters, she said, and is proud that in just over 10 years she has raised more than $115,000 for Dana-Farber cancer research.

Last year Tassini’s daughter, Jessi, joined her in running the marathon and rising money for Dana-Farber. Together they raised more than $23,000.

“I think people should sign up because it is a good cause, it's amazingly scenic and the distance is not small, but not too far,” Tassini said. “It's just right.”

And cancer is a hideous disease that impacts too many people, she continued.

“I saw a sign in the airport that said, in 50 years the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute went from a 15 percent survival rate to an 85 percent survival rate. That is why I do what I do.”

‘Race to stop Cancer Now’ a 5 mile/2 mile run/walk starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Peggotty Beach. Online registration is now open at southshorerace.com/stopcancernow-2--5-mile---october-13-2018.html. Registration will also be taken the day of the race.